The Phone Call
by RealTears
Summary: Using the characters created by Tayna Huff and brought to life by the TV show Blood Ties, I offer up yet another version of what happens after the 22nd episode Deep Dark ends. Published without the assistance of a Beta reader. Sorry about any errors.
1. Chapter 1

The Phone Call

(A _what if_ story - after the TV episode Deep Dark ended the BloodTies series)

Henry's lips were pressed against the inside of her wrist, just one more quick lick of his tongue and the numbing properties of his saliva would take effect, allowing him to bite down without causing pain but the annoying vibration of his cell phone broke his concentration. He pushed a compulsion to sleep toward the woman and looked at his phone. Seeing the in coming call number he walked away from the bed and snarled, "What?"

The voice on the other end said, "Never mind." And the connection was broken.

Henry pulled the covers up to the woman's chin, deepened the command to sleep and silently left the apartment while checking to make sure the candles were blown out and all the locks were secure. This was one of his special people and even if he didn't love her, he did care enough to think of her safety.

After feeding he had hoped to get in several hours of work before sunlight drove him to sleep and that wasn't going to happen thanks to this call. He sighed and punched the phone. He heard her pick up and said, "Now you have my attention, don't hang up."

"You were about to feed, I could tell from your voice."

"Well I'm not feeding now, so talk."

"Do you know what tonight is?"

Henry gave her the date and time and said, "So what about it?"

"It's been two years since you left and I was feeling lonely."

Henry brought the phone away from his ear and stared at it before he said, "Where's Mike?"

"He's in one of his snits. I didn't take kindly to his so called help so he went out with the after work crowd."

"Sometimes Vicki, you're not very nice to him. He's only trying to help you."

"I'm not blind - yet. And I'm most certainly not helpless. He keeps signing me up for adjusted living classes and counseling."

"Yes, Miss Independent. I'm well aware of your need to prove yourself. So why the call tonight?"

"I told you. It's been two years and God help me, I miss you, and I need to see you."

"Now I know something is really wrong." Putting a compulsion in his voice he commanded, "Spit it out!"

Vicki closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath then said, "I went to the Ophthalmologist, and the vision loss is speeding up, if I'm ever going to see your face again it had better be soon."

Henry stood in the parking lot as his mind absorbed what she said. He tilted his head back and saw a million stars and whispered, "Vicki."

"I'm not so much afraid of the dark as I am afraid I won't have another chance to see what matters to me the most." She started talking as fast as she could before she lost the never to say what she needed to say to him, "Come back here. We didn't finish what we started."

"It's not that easy for me to come back."

"Fine! Forget it! I didn't call. I don't need you and I don't need Mike. The pity party for poor blind Vicki is not happening."

She pushed disconnect and threw the phone against the wall. She grabbed her over stuffed bag, marched out of the apartment and straight into the open arms of Astaroth.

He hissed over the top of her head as he held her tight against his chest, "I told you I'd be back for you, but I never thought it would be this easy!"

***

Henry felt the pull of dawn as he looked at his pocket watch. He frowned and shoved it back where it belonged. He hadn't thought much about Vicki's aborted call, because knowing her as well as he did after two years of phone fights, and e-mail make ups, he was sure he would've heard from her within the hour. Six hours had gone with no word or e-mail and he was worried. Mumbling under his breath he picked up his phone and scrolled through the list of contacts, selected one and hit send.

The voice at the other end said, "Celluci."

"Constable, there's a problem."

"And you're calling me, why?"

"Vicki's in trouble and I'm too far away to help her, so that leaves you."

"Vicki's not interested in my help."

Henry gave an exasperated huff and said, "Quit being a child Celluci. She needs you and you know it. There's something wrong. You know she keeps in touch with me and you know she can't let a fight drop without poking at it a few more times. "

"That's true enough. So I take it she's fighting with you too."

"Yeah, she called earlier and I didn't say what she wanted to hear, so she hung up. That was six hours ago."

"Okay, she hasn't called me either. I'll go over to her place. How long are you going to be awake?"

"It's close to dawn here. Whatever you find, you're on your own."

"As much as I hate having you around, how soon can you get back here if there's real trouble?"

"Leave me a message at this number. I can arrange a flight to Toronto, but you'll have to pick me up at a private landing field."

"Swell, a vampire's chauffeur."

"If it's Vicki having a snit, we'll both be off the hook. If she's in the kind of trouble she can't get herself out of, it'll take both of us."

"You know I hate when you're right."

"I know. It's the price we pay for caring about a stubborn woman." Henry walked around his apartment securing doors and windows before shutting the blinds. "We may as well come to terms with the fact, she'll never let either one of us go."

Mike said, "The worst part is neither one of us wants to force her to choose. I guess it's another armed truce."

***

Vicki opened her eyes to total blackness. _'Crap' _was all she could think before the pounding in her head drowned out all other sound. She lay on the floor curled up in a tight ball smelling the foul dampness of an unused room. Flexing her fingers, she felt dirt caking under her nails. She started to move her legs as waves of nausea roiled up from her middle, and stopped all movement. All of her nightmares came flooding back into her mind. Alone in the dark, blind, helpless and in pain. She gave up for all of two seconds before her determination to fight back forced her to action.

One by one she willed herself to obey her commands. Blinking at the darkness didn't help her see. Sniffing the air told her that she was in an old building, in a room that hadn't been used in a very long time. Listening for sound, she heard a slow drip coming from, well, somewhere near. Feeling the dampness in the air, the dirt under her hands and the steady drip confirmed she was below ground level. She slowly straightened her legs and extended her arms from side to side told her she wasn't tided down and the area was bigger than a grave. She turned onto her back and waited for the nausea to settle down before holding her arms up into the air. Good. She couldn't touch anything. She moved to a sitting position and held up her hands again. Nothing. She tried to stand and couldn't get her legs under her, so she decided to crawl. The process of rolling onto her knees brought back waves of nausea. Finally, she was up on elbows and knees and slowly inched her way forward until she felt a wall. She worked her way, hand over hand until she pulled herself to a standing position.

"Very good, Vicki. I thought you'd be out longer than this."

The cold unfeeling voice sent shivers down her spine, but was familiar even as she asked, "Who are you, where am I and why?"

"You know very well who I am and you know why. Where doesn't matter." He made a movement with his hand and Vicki crumbled to her knees as her fingers wrapped around the marks on her forearms.

She cursed through clenched teeth, "You son of a bitch."

"Half wrong, Raymond, who's body I'm using, may have been a son of a bitch, but I'm the son of a high demon."

***

Mike stood in Vicki's empty apartment holding her phone. From the dent in the wall he surmised that she threw it with a vengeance. He hit redial and heard Henry's voice message. He left one of his own, "_Using Vicki's phone, she's not here. Call later with update_."

Mike took a second quick look around before leaving. As he closed the door he noticed a small clump of dirt in front of her door. Years of experience told him that this was evidence of something. He took a zip-lock baggie from a pocket and used his pen to push the clump into the bag and sealed it shut. Out of habit date, time, location were noted on the evidence card.

As he walked back to the elevators the door across from Vicki's opened and Helen, a noisy neighbor called out, "Detective, is she all right?"

Mike walked toward her with a half smile, "Helen, I haven't seen you for awhile."

"That's because you haven't come by to see Vicki. Shame on you. Here she was so sick that a priest came and had to take her away."

Mike's mind flashed back to the last few hours at Henry's condo. "Tell me what did the priest say and what was he doing."

"Well, Vicki was leaning into him when I opened the door to say hi. The priest was mumbling in something that sounded churchy then said Vicki was sick and he was taking her to get help. I tried to ask Vicki if I could help, but she kind of shook her head."

"What was she trying to do?"

"It looked like she was trying to clear her head, or shake her head no."

"Why didn't you call me."

"You weren't very nice the last time I called when I thought Vicki needed help. Really Mike, letting her carry stuff in when she blind. She needs you to help her."

Mike thanked Helen for her concern and took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

Outside he placed another call to Henry.

***

Relieved, seeing the call number for the first recording, Henry listened the voice message, then tensed up when Mike's voice sounded. The second message was worse. _Raymond had Vicki. _ Two years before, the demon Astaroth took possession of his priest friend Raymond's body and left the area. Henry knew, when the time was right, there would be a final battle between him and the demon. And thanks to the stupidity of Norman, Vicki was permanently marked and tied into the battle as well.

Henry made two phone calls. One to his friend Augustus for a plane ride back to Toronto and the second to Mike.

"Celluci."

"I'm coming tonight. Be at the airport and please bring a big thick tarp. I'm trusting you to keep me safe until sunset."

"You're trusting me with your life?" Mike went cold, then hot inside. He hated vampires in general, and was jealous of Vicki's feelings for this particular vampire.

Henry looked disgusted as he said, "If you want to get Vicki back, you're going to need my help."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that. Fighting a priest and caring for a vampire. How many 'Hail Marys' is this going to cost me?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I've been saying a hundred a night for the last four centuries."

"And look where that's gotten you."

***

Mike broke the connection and decided the best place for Henry to stay would be Vicki's apartment. He still had a key, an extra, made during one of their 'on again' times. She'd ask for it back and he'd ask for his, but they both knew they each had back-ups. Theirs was a complicated relationship that skirted around commitment. They trusted each other with their lives but not with their hearts.

He went to her apartment and fixed the smaller bedroom so that Henry could block out daylight and secure it from the inside.

As he worked, he thought about the things that led up to this moment. Everything Mike had ever thought about vampires and the work of evil had been challenged by knowing Henry. Henry was a vampire that had saved Mike's life at least once and Vicki's several times. He was funny, caring, worked hard, and fought for what he believed in and Henry believed in Vicki, and through her, him. Mike hated to admit to himself that he believed in the vampire's better nature and shut down that line of thought before he made the next connection.

At the prescient, he tackled the pending cases piled on his desk while squeezing in a few minutes to follow up on leads related to Vicki's disappearance. The phone call placed to her mother, confirmed that Vicki was long overdue for a mother daughter chat. Mike did a verbal dance that left Marjory satisfied that Vicki was well, busy, and if not happy, at least content.

***

Henry shuddered at the thought of flying. He hated being trapped anywhere that he didn't have total control and since there were so many variables to flying commercially, he discarded the idea even as it formed. Instead, he placed a call to a wealthy friend knowing an hour of personal attention would give him full use of a private jet for a few days. After agreements were reached and arrangements made, he placed a call to Mike and gave him the details about the when and were of his return to Toronto.

Henry sat, stared out the window of the plane and thought about his relationship with Vicki. He'd heard from her in one form or another twice if not three times a day since he left, but now days had passed without a word and he missed her. He kept his mind from thinking about what could be happening to her and forced himself to remember all the details of his friendship with Raymond, the priest that had run him through with a sword after been possessed by Astaroth. The Raymond he remembered would not give in easily to the demon and he hoped that his friend would find a way to let him know where Vicki was being kept.

***

Vicki was aware of a buzzing in her ear. She turned her head and tried to listen as words became clear.

"Don't talk. I have only seconds."

Never able to take commands that didn't make sense, she whispered, "Who?"

"I used to be Henry's friend, Raymond. I have a few moments to myself after Astaroth uses power."

Vicki started to sit up and asked, "Where?"

"You're in the root cellar of an abandoned farmhouse. I can't get you out, but I dropped down some food and water."

Vicki pulled her knees up to her chest and rolled onto her butt, "What's happening?"

"Astaroth can't fully enter this world without more power, if I die before he gets it he'll lose all he's gained. After my moment of weakness, I've been fighting him as best I can and now I'm dying." He further explained that Astaroth had Raymond's body, but not his soul and thanks to Norman's incompetence in drawing symbols, Astaroth was tied to Vicki and her will was even stronger than Raymond's so Astaroth had to wait.

"Why is he after me now?"

" Astaroth felt your resolve weaken. You were giving in to the darkness."

Vicki shook her head no, "I'm trying to accept blindness."

"No, you were giving up hope. Without it, he can tempt and torture you and in order for him to win, you have to agree to accept Astaroth of your own free will."

"Don't go clergy on me."

"I've got to go."

"Wait!"

The tone of voice changed and her arms began to throb, "Talking to yourself Vicki? Going mad I hope."

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin in defiance, "I'm the only one here worth talking to."

"I'm the only one that needs you. You know that I can give all that you ever wanted."

In her mind she saw her father at all the important events in her life, with him laughing and cheering her on. She saw herself climbing rapidly up the ladder in the police force becoming the youngest female chief in history. She saw rich vibrant colors, beautiful vistas and handsome men waiting to do her bidding. Power, money prestige were all hers for the taking. And the price was so small not worth mentioning.

"Pretty pictures. Funny, but those dreams don't mean much to me."

The burning increased in her arms as he said, "I'll give you pain and take it away when you accept me."

"Pain reminds me I'm alive."

Snarling Astaroth waved a hand and Vicki heard the skittering sound of things moving in the dark.

Pushing her back against the wall and she slowly stood to face the direction of the most concentrated sounds coming at her. "Bring it on. That which doesn't kill me, will die."

The noises stopped and Vicki felt Astaroth fade. She placed a hand on the closest wall and moved forward getting a feel for her prison. When she got the image fixed in her head she let go of the wall and started pacing back and forth making a grid like pattern until she found the bottled water and what felt like three wrapped bars. Hunger and thirst overrode caution and she opened the bottle, sniffed and took a sip. She then opened one of the bars again sniffed then took a nibble. After waiting as long as she could, she took another few sips and ate half the first bar. She then stuffed everything in her pockets, used a corner for waste and moved to the opposite corner to sit and sort out her options.


	2. Chapter 2

The Phone Call 4

Henry prepared himself for touch down when he heard the sound of the landing wheels being lowered. Each mile he had traveled east brought him closer to Vicki and dawn. He hoped Mike was waiting at the gate otherwise he'd have to go to ground and that was never a pleasant experience.

Up until tonight, Mike no idea the there was a landing field in the abandoned estate. He watched the small jet slowly turn and make it's final approach at the far end of the runway. The wheels touched down with a little bounce and glided forward, speed decreasing as it moved. It came to a stop just short of his car and the hatch popped open over the wing. Henry stepped out holding a small travel bag, lightly jumped to the ground, straightened and gave a wave over his shoulder to someone standing in the shadow of the opening. He then walked toward Mike as the plane started moving away.

Mike said as Henry approached, "Shotgun, back seat or trunk?"

Henry smirked, "Good to see you too. Shotgun if we're not going far."

Mike walked back to the dark car and said, "Vicki's apartment is about an hour from here." Seeing Henry's frown, he added, " Don't worry there's plenty of time."

"If you say so. Any more on Raymond?"

"Not much. He didn't go back to his parish after the mess in your condo and no one at his church admits to hearing from him, although, a few people claim to have seen him in town."

Henry slid into the passenger side and fastened his seat belt as Mike turned over the ignition and backed the car up with squealing wheels and turf flying. Henry braced his legs on the floorboard as Mike continued to accelerate saying, "I take back what I said before about you driving. Slow down!"

Mike shook his head in mock sorrow and said, "Here, I thought you liked to live dangerously."

Henry huffed, "Live is the operative word. I avoid risks when possible."

"It seems to me you and Vicki were up to your necks in trouble every time I turned around."

"Not by my choice. Even the simplest of cases, ended up with one or both of us getting hurt."

Mike paid close attention to the road as he drove well over the speed limit and as the sky started lighten in the east he said, "We're almost there. Can you hang on a little longer?"

"Depends on how much longer. If necessary, I can spend the day in the trunk."

***

Vicki opened her eyes as she felt the small hand patting her cheek and heard a high voice say, "Wake up. Daddy said you'd feed us and Genvee won't stop crying."

Vicki looked into the deep blue eyes of a small boy with bright strawberry blond ringlets and asked, "Where did daddy go?"

The little boy's lips formed a dimpled pout as he answered, "He didn't say."

Vicki got up to investigate the sobs coming from the other side of the room. Sitting on the floor was a little girl tugging on a comb tangled in her curls. She looked up and pleaded, "Help me."

Vicki sat down and gently untangled the curls from the comb as she tried to remember who these children were and where she was.

The little boy kept plucking at her sleeve saying, "I'm hungry. Hurry up." While the little girl howled.

Vicki snapped, "Quiet! Both of you. I can't make a meal for you until I get this comb free."

Genvee turned to the boy, "Micky, stop bothering us, you know daddy said she'd feed us."

The boy's eyes turned black as Vicki laid the comb aside and he nodded to his sister. The little girl's eyes turned equally dark as they both said, "Now."

Vicki felt a burning pain in both her forearms as they bit down over the marks of Astaroth and ripped away the flesh gulping down her blood. Vicki tried to pull her arms away as someone behind her added his weight to hold her down. She felt hot breath on her neck as a voice whispered, "Children take your time."

***

Mike was pulling around to the back of Vicki's building as his cell phone rang, "Celluci." He listened for a moment as he weighed his options and motioned to Henry to lean in closer, "What makes you think I care what happens to her?"

The raspy voice said, "You were in his condo. You helped him find the heart. Of course you care. You want her."

Mike mouthed _sorry Vicki_ and said, "If I don't have to do much work to get her back."

The voice on the other end snarled the demand, "Give me the vampire."

Mike looked straight at Henry and said, "How in hell am I going to find a vampire?"

The voiced hissed, "Quit being stupid, human. I want Henry Fitzroy."

Mike made a needless gesture for Henry to remain quiet and said, "He left town two years ago."

"Call him."

"How? Vicki has his number, I don't and I don't know where he is."

"I'll give you twelve hours or she dies. Let the vampire know I have Vicki. When I have him, I'll let Vicki go and even throw in the priest as a show of faith. "

The phone went silent and Henry got out of the car and grabbed his bag while saying, "You're not giving me up are you?"

"Your kidding, right? I let anything happen to you and Vicki finds out, I'll be more dead than you are."

Henry couldn't help but smile as he said, "She's told me the same about you more than once."

Mike shrugged as headed for the back entrance of the building and led Henry to the apartment.

Helen was standing in her doorway, "Did you hear from Vicki? How is she? Who's that? What's going on?"

Henry gave Helen one of his very persuasive grins and said, "I'm Vicki's cousin, Henry. I'll be staying here for a few days."

Helen nodded, "I remember now. Vicki told me about her favorite cousin. So where is she?"

Mike rolled his eyes at Henry as if to say, _you started, keep going_.

Henry felt the dawn closing in and he added an extra push to the compulsion, "Go back to bed."

Helen gave a big yawn, "Sorry boys, I'm so tired. Keep me posted." She started to turn away then added, "Mike, I forgot." She held out a envelope, "Vicki said if anything ever happens to her, I'm to give you this."

Closing the door behind them, Mike placed the envelope on the end table and Henry tapped it with his finger asking, "Aren't you going to open it?"

Mike turned away with a hint of moisture in his eye, "Nope. Not until I know for certain that Vicki's gone for good."

Henry growled deep in his throat before pointing down a hall, "Which room?"

Mike pointed to the door on the left, "You can bolt it from the inside and the window is sealed."

Henry handed Mike a list of items he needed and said, "If I'm going to be sending a demon back to hell, these things will help."

Mike glanced at the list as Henry shot the bolt then said, "Where am I going to find this crap?"

Henry fell across the bed and called out as he gave himself up to the day, "You're the detective, detect."

Mike walked back to his car muttering, "Just like Vicki, he always gets the last word."

***

The burning pain in her arms woke Vicki from a fitful dream. When she moved she heard skittering feet run away. In disgust she said out loud, "Now I'm rat food." She patted her pocket, found the bottled water and took a sip before shouting, "Finish this, fight me, or let me go."

A raspy voice whispered, "It will be finished when I say it's finished. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to leave hell?"

It waited for an answer then added, "I thought not, but you'll learn."


	3. Chapter 3

The Phone Call

Mike looked down at the hand that pressed him against the wall and knew he should have knocked before entering Vicki's apartment and said, "I'm not your dinner."

Henry closed his eyes, dropped his hand and pushed aside his anger and hunger. "Didn't anyone ever tell you to stay away from hungry vampires?"

Mike took a step away from the wall, straightened his coat and said, "Where I grew up, vampire stories were told to keep children in bed, under the covers after dark. Nobody ever claimed they were real."

Henry walked over to the window while saying, "Well I'm real and hungry." He turned to face Mike and added, "Before we do anything else, I need to feed."

Mike held up both hands and shook his head from side to side, "Not on me you don't."

Henry gave a smirked and said, "You'd give me indigestion."

"Thanks. Just what my ego needs, rejection." Mike held out a bag adding, "Here's the stuff you asked for."

Before he could take the bag, Henry's phone started to vibrate, raising an eyebrow in question, he answered, "Henry Fitzroy." He heard a familiar voice on the other end and asked, "How did you get this number?"

Sinead said, "You told me if I was desperate, I could contact you through Augustus. He gave me your number." Before Henry could speak she added, "If you're going to save your half blind friend, you need my help."

Henry was very aware of Sinead's feelings for him and what lengths she took in the past to trap him, "Why would you help me to save her?"

Sinead sighed, "I've thrown rune sticks every day since the last time I saw you. They keep telling me I'm not meant for you and Vicki's future is tied to yours_._ When I cast for Vicki, I see blackness."

"That's vague enough."

"Henry, just because you don't appreciate my magic, doesn't make it any less real. So, because I care more for you than I should, I'll tell you what's needed to change Vicki's fate."

Henry listened to what Sinead said, nodded a few times then hung up.

He was outside Vicki's door and yelling back, "Come on Mike, let's go."

Mike blinked at Henry's being outside the apartment in confusion, held out the bag and asked, "What about the stuff?"

"Drop it. The plan has changed and my feeding is not an option."

Mike parked the car near an alley and wait while Henry looked for dinner. He used the time to touch base with an off duty friend who agreed to follow up on Raymond and learned he had been spotted coming out of small store yesterday evening. Mike new the store was and what the rest of the area held.

Henry rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth before opening the car door and snarled, "Street life is not my favorite dining choice."

"Well! I'm so sorry if you epicurean standards weren't met. While you were picking over the menu, I got a lead that Raymond was seen about thirty miles from here. There's some old farms out that way."

"If that's the best lead you've got, let's go. I should be able to tell if she's there."

"How? Are you going to tell me your a bloodhound too?"

"Close. We share a bond."

"Are you going to tell me the rest or are you going to make me keep asking questions?"

Henry thought about the two times he took blood from her and the one time she drank his blood to fight a mummy and save his life. Deeming that information about Vicki to personal to share without her consent, he said, "Don't bother wasting your time, you'll have to ask Vicki."

"You know, I don't like you."

"You've said that before."

Mike pushed down on the accelerator and bullied his way into traffic, "Well, nothing's changed."

***

Vicki sat with her back against the wall feeling like her arms were freezing from the inside out. Angry that she was letting someone or something dictate her life she stood and made herself move away from the wall. She started pacing and shaking out her arms to warm them up. Using her other senses to keep from touching the walls, she regained her confidence in her ability to move quickly and quietly in the dark.

Above her she heard movement and whispered, "Get me out of here."

Raymond said, "Can't." She heard something drop and moved toward the sound. Touching the object with her foot, she leaned down and picked it up. She examined it with her fingers and estimated that it was about eighteen inches long, inch in diameter, and had a wicked point at one end.

Raymond added, "You can't let it have the vampire."

She identified the object as a wooden stake and spat under her breath, "Crap."

***

Before he could say more his cell phone rang, "Celluci."

"Mike! Astaroth is on the move."

Henry sensitive hearing picked up Coreen's voice as Mike said, "How do you know?"

"My scar's throbbing and burning."

Henry's eyes turned dark and he whispered, "_Coreen, forget you made this call_."

Coreen shouted, "Is Henry there?"

Mike jaws clamped down as he asked, "What makes you think that?"

"I felt him in my head. If Vicki's in trouble, I want in."

Henry took the phone from Mike, "I'm here and if you want to help Vicki, do some research and find spells to cast demons back to hell. You don't have to be present to make a difference."

Coreen sighed in relief knowing she didn't have to face Astaroth. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Timing's important though. Find the spells and be ready to cast them when Mike calls."

After giving her a few more reassuring words Henry ended the call and handed the phone back to Mike.

Mike slowed down as he came to the exit ramp and turned on the first of several roads that went from urban to rural, then empty of all human life within a few miles.

Henry barely noticed being away from the noises, smells, and pressure of city life as he asked, "How did you manage to have someone looking around here?"

"We found a connection between Raymond and this area through a relative that left him a farm. It's the type of lead Vicki would follow up on, so I took a chance and had an off duty friend watch the local store." He added, "What's the plan?"

"Simple. You keep Raymond busy, Coreen keeps Astaroth off balance and I take care of Vicki."

"Why can't you take care of Raymond and I take care of Vicki?"

"You don't have dark powers."

Henry motioned for Mike to pull over and before the car was stopped Henry was out and looking up at the night sky listening for the one heartbeat that meant she was near.

***

Vicki bent down and put the stake into her boot were she used to keep her clutch piece. Years of practice reaching for the weapon in all kinds of situations gave her the skills she needed to pull and use the stake if necessary. Raymond/Astaroth was using her as bait to pull Henry in and she needed to keep him away from them at all costs. There was more on the line besides herself and Henry. He had warned her the night she chose to accept the power to save Coreen. Payback was a bitch and she was prepared to pay.

She moved to a corner of her personal hell so that she would only have to fight on two fronts but kept away from the walls giving herself room to maneuver. She was certain it was coming down to a physical battle. There was nothing left Astaroth could tempt her with since he'd already tried eyesight, changing the past, giving her Mike or Henry and none of that work.

Vicki felt a change in the air then stinging in both arms. There was a rushing sound and screams of "Stop. Get back. She's mine. You're mine. You die."

The stinging continued and along with that there was the sound of chanting and fighting. The air filled with the the smell of sulfur and burning wood along with the scent of newly turned earth, spice and jasmine. In the total blackness, she felt two beings standing in front of her and pulled her arms back close to her chest making fists. She shifted her balance and prepared to kick out as she heard Henry say, "To your right." Then she heard him say, "To your left." The voices were identical in sound, nothing different to give her a clue as to which was which.

From above she heard the sounds of a fist fight then Mike swore, "Son of a bitch! Raymond's down there with Vicki."

Vicki feigned with her right fist, kicked out with her left leg then dropped pivoted and pulled her clutch piece. She rose took a quick step forward brought her fist up holding the stake and drove it under the rib cage and straight up into the bottom of the heart using enough force to come out behind the left collar bone.

The howl of anger and the fall of ashes were the last things to register in her mind before everything shut down.

***

Vicki lay on her bed with her eyes closed trying to remember the events of the last few days and couldn't seem to get the sequence of events straight. She started to sit up and a gentle hand pushed her back and a beloved voice said, "Easy. You've had a rough time of it."

"How long have I been out?"

"Twelve hours give or take." He got up and brought her back a glass of water, slipped his hand behind her shoulders and helped her to take a drink before saying, "I'm really getting tired of fighting demons for you."

Vicki sat up then, "For me? I don't think so buddy. Ever since I met you we've been fighting evil. How did you manage this time?"

Henry sat on the edge of the bed and took her arms tracing the outline of marks with his thumbs, "Sinead told me to change these. If the meaning of the marks changed, your fate would change. So I put _Royal Henry_ over the left and _Vampire_ over the right. You held the stake in your left hand and took out Raymond while Coreen was chanting over Mike's phone. Mike kept Raymond busy long enough for me to finish making the changes."

"How did you know which hand would hold the weapon?"

"You're left handed. I knew if you had any type of weapon, it'd be in your left."

"Where's Mike?"

"He went home when it got dark. He said he was tired of risking his neck keeping a vampire company. He said to tell you that he understood no matter what you chose to do." Then he laughed and kissed the top of her head, "So what do you think we should do?"

"Find a place that doesn't attract the wrong sort."

"Together?"

"Yeah. You and I together. I'm not letting you get away again."

Henry smiled and said, "Why did you call me in the first place?"

"I wanted to see your smile one more time before I went completely blind."

"And now?"

"I'm ready to take a chance on us. If I end up a blind vampire, you'll have to get over the territorial thing and help me find dinner for the rest of our lives."

He gathered her up in his arms, "It's a deal."


	4. Chapter 4

Vicki laughed at Henry's enthusiastic hug and asked, "Now what?"

He nuzzled her neck as his eyes turned black and with the deeper vampire voice said, "I feed while making love to you and then you'll drink my blood."

She pushed on his chest to break his hold, "Not so fast."

Henry released her saying, "You're driving me crazy."

"I'm good at driving people crazy. I'd like to see my mom."

Henry shifted his weight and asked, "Is there anything else stopping us?"

Vicki made a mental list of what needed doing then shrugged her shoulders discarding the list as unnecessary and wrapped her arms around Henry's neck and said, "Nothing. I'm ready."

He didn't hesitate. The bite was decisive forging an unbreakable bond with the woman he loved beyond reason. Sated, the vampire pulled back and the human part of Henry made love to Vicki with all the tenderness he was capable of giving.

Vicki received his bite, felt his passion fire hers and let go of all her strings that had held her back from love for so long. She matched him move for move in the art of sharing love.

While Vicki slept, Henry listened to the sounds of the night as he waited for her body to tell him when it was time to offer his and vowed to fight back territorial issues that had driven him away from his sire, Christina. At the time of his change, Christina and he had been emotional children without the life skills to overcome instinct. He was no longer a child and Vicki was a self sufficient woman able to defend herself and others so he was certain to win that fight.

Henry took a deep breath and let it out slowly before stroking Vicki's cheek. She opened her eyes and before she could reach for the bedside lamp he stopped her and said, "You don't need the light."

"I can't see anything."

Henry bit his own wrist opening a vein as he said, "It's better if you don't." He put his other hand over the wound to hold the blood back as he asked, "Are you ready?"

She nodded and he moved the bleeding wrist to her lips while saying, "Take as much as you can."

She opened her mouth as the first drop fell to her lower lip and her tongue darted out to catch the second and third. She put her hand over Henry's, pressed the wrist tight against her lips and licked at the wound washing away each drop as it was beginning to form.

Henry felt the heat of her mouth as intensely as he had felt the heat of her core wrapped around his shaft earlier in the night. At last he felt really loved. No matter what happened in the future, as long as she was beside him, he would be loved.

Vicki found that Henry's blood wasn't bitter the way it had been when she took it without his permission to save his life. This time it tasted like his scent, that of newly turned earth, spices, and jasmine. Within seconds his blood worked it's way to the center of her being and made a place for the vampire to grow.

When she could take no more, she turned her lips away, placed the closing wound on her cheek and whispered, "That wasn't so bad."

"Trust me, it gets better each time."

"I believe you."

Henry looked at her with love in his eyes, "I hate to leave you, but it's dawn. Tonight we'll make plans to visit your mother and get back to Vancouver. I suggest you stay close to home today."

"A few phone calls and some computer work is all I'm planning on doing today."

***

Henry stood looking up at the small apartment building and hesitated, "Ah, I've changed my mind. You go in, I'll wait for you in the car."

Vicki turned and looked at him standing with his hands in his pockets and accused, "You're scared!"

Henry was about to deny such a thing but shrugged, "I've never met a girl's parents before."

"Parent. Only one, and she's not that bad."

"According to what you've told me in the past, I'm about to meet a controlling, over protective mother hen, that eats prospective boyfriends for dinner then tries to plan a wedding by the end of the night."

Vicki gasped and started to lead him back to the car, "Get back to the car. I don't need you repeat anything I've told you about her."

Henry pushed her back towards the door as it opened and Marjory said, "Get in here. Vicki it's just like you to keep me waiting while you start an argument just so you don't have to bring a guy in to meet me."

Vicki threw up her hands and said, "I give up. Mom, this is Henry. Henry, Marjory Nelson."

She stood back while Henry gave one on his winning smiles bowed slightly and said, "Mrs. Nelson you are even more beautiful than your daughter."

Marjory started to smile until she really looked at Henry, then put her hand to her throat, backed into the apartment building and said, "Please come in." They followed her to the apartment as she hissed , "Victoria, I need to see you in the kitchen, now!"

Vicki went to the kitchen with Marjory at her heals demanding, "What are you thinking? He's a boy!"

Vicki started to speak but Marjory continued ranting, "Eighteen at the most. He's too young for you. He'll leave you after the first wrinkle and sagging boob. Plus he's shorter than you. You don't like short men."

Vicki thought for a second before protesting, "We're about the same height." Vicki heard Henry whisper, _Tell her I'm twenty five, _before she added, "He's twenty two."

Marjory's sputtered, "He's almost ten years younger than you are. Tell me you're not serious."

Vicki turned her back on her mother and said, "Just for once can't you be happy for me and accept my choices without criticizing?"

Marjory's face looked stricken as she realized what she was doing to her daughter, "I want you to be happy. I'm trying to protect you from my mistakes."

"Just because daddy left you, doesn't mean Henry will leave me."

Marjory placed a hand on Vicki's back, "If you're sure this is what's best for you."

Vicki turned back to her mother and said, "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. Talk to him, you'll see how right he is for me."

Henry stood as they came back into the living room and waited for the women to be seated before he moved to stand behind Vicki and place his hand on her shoulder. "Ask me what ever you want and I'll answer." He wasn't concerned about the questions because if all else failed, he could always use his powers to erase Marjory's memories.

Marjory went through the usual list of questions a mother wants to know about the man her daughter wants then added one more, "Why?"

Vicki placed her hand over his and waited to hear the answer.

"Life's too short and there is no guarantee that tomorrow will ever come. I love your daughter and I want her with me always."

Marjory sighed and said, "Good enough. We can start making wedding plans."

Henry's fingers dug into Vicki's shoulder and she spoke for the first time since leaving the kitchen, "No, Mom. No wedding. We're leaving for Vancouver tonight."

Vicki's mom looked heartbroken as she said, "I should have known."

"Mom, let's face it. I've never liked fussing about girl things."

Vicki stood and they walked to the door. Marjory joined them and gave each a hug before asking one last question, "When will I see you again?"

Vicki heard her mother's heart beating and felt a rush of vampire blood lust as she faced the door and said, "I'm not sure."

Henry sensed the vampire urges rising in Vicki held Marjory's hand, "I promise she'll call or e-mail you once a week."

Vicki opened the anxious to be away from her mother and the hunger for blood, "I keep in touch. Henry has a way of making me keep promises." She moved quickly down the hall before her mother could get close again.

Henry used a touch of power to give Marjory the idea of a parting filled with laughter, hugs, and kisses before following.

As he drove the rental car to the small air field and Augustus' waiting plane, Vicki said, "Thank you for giving Mom the memories I couldn't."

"You're welcome." He took his eyes off the road long enough to give her a quick grin before adding, "It's only monster if you let it be one."

"I didn't expect that to happen yet."

"I thougt we'd have a bit more time before the first urges hit. After tonight, you won't have to come in contact with anyone until you're ready."

"Feeding?"

"I'll provide what you need."

"Funny, I like knowing I can depend on you. That's so oppisite to what I've always been."

"Love is the difference, Vicki. Me loving you and you loving me."


	5. Chapter 5

Henry placed his hand on the small of Vicki's back as they walked toward the private jet that would take them to Vancouver. He was going back to something familiar while Vicki was heading into the unknown.

Vicki never though she would tolerate a possessive man, but with Henry all previous bets were off. He gave her love, understanding and the freedom to be herself.

He was pleased knowing he finally had a companion that challenged, intregued, and accepted him without question. He could feel the love growing between them as the vampire within him welcomed the one that grew deep within her. Five hundred years of existence gave him a better perspective on how to fight territorialism that he'd had at the time of his turning, plus the added advantage of a world that had changed over the centuries.

Vicki felt Henry's fingers flex at her back and turned to snarl, "Stop shoving. If I go any faster, I'll trip."

Henry dropped his hand and glanced away hoping she hadn't seen the look on his face.

Vicki had seen enough to realize he wasn't shoving, he was trying to hold her back. "You really don't like flying, do you?"

Henry growled, "I hate it." Then gestured toward the plane, "Let's get this done. My thinking about it, only makes it worse."

The co-pilot stood at the bottom of the fold down steps ready to greet them and take their bags when Vicki's cell phone started ringing.

Henry commanded, "Don't answer and turn it off."

Vicki gave him a '_don't tell me what to do' _look and tapped the send key and heard a familiar voice ask, "Where are you, Vicki?"

"I'm with Henry so make it fast, Mike."

"There's no way I can change your mind?"

"It's too late."

"Crap!"

Henry took the phone from Vicki and with a voice of power said, "Forget about her. Move on with your life."

Mike shook his head to clear it and said, "Stay out of my head, Fitzroy and give the phone back to Vicki."

Henry handed the phone back to her shaking his head saying, "I should have better control of him."

Mike heard that and shouted back, "It's not so easy mess with my head anymore is it, vamp? Besides, I have a bunch of bodies I need to talk to you about."

Vicki sputtered, "You're not doing that to Henry again."

Mike's other hand went to scar on his neck, a constant reminder of who Henry was and what he was capable of doing. "I'm not accusing him of anything. I was hoping he could give me some background information on the history of vampires in this region."

"We're getting on the plane and it's too late to change our plans even if we wanted to."

Thinking a change of tactics might work, Mike asked, "Does your mother know about him?"

"She's met him and she knows I'm going with him."

"What'd she say?"

Vicki gave Henry a wry grin and said, "She says he's too young for me, but if I'm sure he's what I want, she won't try and stop me."

Henry's eyes darkened as the co-pilot said, "If we're going to get to Vancouver on time, we have to leave now."

Vicki nodded and said into the phone, "Mike, I'll call you back as soon as I can. The plane's ready to leave and Henry's not too happy. It's no fun being around an unhappy Henry."

Mike rubbed at his neck again, "Yeah. Like I'm ever going to forget. I really could use his help." Then yelled, "You better take good care of her, you royal bastard."

Henry growled, "I can hear just fine without your yelling and I'll take superior care of my woman." He took the phone from her hand, snapped it shut, handed it back and added, "You're mine so don't bother arguing."

Vicki powered off the phone and dropped it into her bag and started up the boarding steps, "I won't argue if you agree that you're mine too."

Henry nodded to the co-pilot as he followed her up the steps, "I'm all yours if you can find a way to keep me distracted while we're in this thing."

Vicki stopped at the top of the steps and said over her shoulder in a stage whisper, "How about I initiate you into the Mile High Club?"

Henry raised an eyebrow and started to speak when the co-pilot cleared his throat and said, "Keep moving, please."

Vicki winked at the co-pilot and said, "We won't be needing anything so if you and the pilot could remain in the cockpit, we'd really appreciate it."

"No problem." He looked at Henry and added, "I hope you both enjoy the flight."


	6. Chapter 6

Henry gestured for Vicki to to take her seat as he sat across the isle, fastened his seat belt, took a deep breath, closed his eyes and waited for the plane to take off.

Vicki sat, fastened her seat belt and turned her head to watch Henry. She couldn't see his face but felt his tension mounting as the plane's engines built the power needed to race down the field and lift it's wings toward the sky. Speaking softly she asked, "If you hate this so much, why did you fly back here in the first place?"

Henry kept his eyes closed and waited until the plane started to roll before answering, "You needed me."

Vicki heard the strain in his voice, appreciated his efforts on her behalf and said, "If I didn't say it before, thank you for coming."

Henry kept his eyes closed while saying, "Your welcome. But promise me we never have to fly anywhere again."

"I'm not going to make a promise I'm not sure I can keep."

Henry gripped the armrests as the plane's acceleration reached the point where the nose lifted and over came the gravity that pushed them back into their seats. He hissed through his fangs as the plane continued it's to climb into the air. He didn't react as the pilot said, "We've received confirmation of our flight plan and in a few minutes we'll reach the cruising altitude of 33,000 feet. The flight should take a little over three hours. If you need anything, push the call button just over head. It's a good night to fly."

Henry stopped hissing and opened his eyes long enough to look at the call button and snarl at Vicki, "What would I need that he could provide?"

Laughing, Vicki answered, "Blood."

"That's not funny. My life depends on his skill."

Vicki laughed again, "Mine too!" Then she reached across the isle to place her hand on Henry's arm, "I know what we can do to fill the time."

Henry moved his arm from under her hand, "Forget it. I'm perfectly aware of the '_mile high_' club and I'm not interested."

Vicki raised an eyebrow in mock surprise, "Now there's a first. Henry Fitzroy, not interested in sex."

Insulted, he snapped back, "I most certainly didn't say that."

Vicki shrugged and spent the next hour looking at the blurred view from the window. After a while she grew bored and looked back over to Henry and whispered, "Are you sleeping?"

"Of course not. I'm thinking."

"What are you thinking about?"

He sighed, "Can't you be quiet? Look out the window or something."

"I've been looking out the window. It's not much fun when it's mostly a blur. Let's talk."

"We are."

"No. I'm talking, you're grumbling."

Henry gave another deeper sigh, opened his eyes and looked straight at her. "I'm sorry."

Vicki reached down and unfastened her seat belt.

In alarm, Henry asked, "What are you doing?"

She raised herself up, quickly shifted her hips and landed on a surprised Henry's lap while saying, "Getting comfortable."

Startled, Henry's arms wrapped around her waist of their own accord as she nuzzled his neck, breathed in his scent and said, "Yes! This is much better." She nibbled on his ear and added, "I wish I had the fangs to take a bite of you."

Henry's body went rigid as the plane took a quick dip and gave a brief shudder. He let go of her waist and gripped the arm rests even tighter than before.

Vicki placed her palm on his cheek, "It's only a pocket of wind causing air turbulence. It's okay. The plane's not going down." She kissed his chin, "Come on, open your eyes and look at me."

She saw his eyes were dark with vampire rage and hunger and the tips of his fangs were visible as he tried to control his emotions. She offered her neck so that he could feed knowing taking her blood would distract him. Accepting the silent offer, he sank his fangs into the softness of her neck and let the calm reassurance of her taste comfort him. Neither one of them paid attention to the pilot's apology for hitting the bumps.

When the pilot announced fifteen minutes to landing Vicki asked, "Are you sure you don't want to join the mile high club?"

"No thank you. Experiencing my first 'in flight dining' is enough ."

"I hope you don't get indigestion."

"Actually the opposite. I'm ravenous. I intend to feed very well from you when we've landed."

"That sounds good."

After a smooth landing, the co-pilot came from the front of the plane and was about to say something when Henry took over his mind long enough to plant the idea that the passengers were satisfied with their flight and further comment wasn't needed.

***

Vicki waited until they reached Henry's car before asking why he had done that.

Leaning down to help her into the car he whispered, "Augustus is going to ask him about how I reacted on the flight. I don't need him knowing about my fear of flying or about whether or not I'm a member of the club so to speak." With that said, he firmly closed the door to the car and on the subject.

After he was settled behind the wheel, Vicki admitted, "I don't like flying either." She started to say something more but bit back her words and road in silence.

Answering her unasked question, Henry said, "We've got a forty five minute drive to the motel where we'll spend the day and then there's about another two hours of driving before we reach our current home."

"Current home?"

"I want to give you a choice about where we live in the future."

"I'm not picky."

"You'll learn it becomes necessary to be very picky. We're at the mercy of everything and everyone during the daylight hours."

Vicki thought about his words for several minutes before pulling her cell phone out of her bag, turning it on, waiting a few seconds then pushing speed dial. Henry wisely kept his mouth shut as she said, "Mom. We've landed safely and are taking two days to Henry's drive to place. I'll call tomorrow or the next day with more information. Bye."

She closed the phone and smiled, "I love voice mail. I can leave a message and not get trapped with questions or advice."

Henry asked, "Aren't you going to call Mike too?"

"Nah. Not until we have time to deal with his problem."

Henry pulled into the small motel parking lot and went to the front desk. Since Augustus had already made reservations and paid for the room he was back with the key card before Vicki had a chance to pull her travel bag from the back seat.

"Here, let me get that."

***

Vicki took a quick shower while Henry did everything he could think of to secure the room from any outside light or interruption. He noted that Augustus made sure there was a nice choice of food for Vicki along with bottled water and fresh juices. Throughout the centuries, Henry had come to rely on the discretion and help of a select group of humans that accepted vampires and were willing to provide for their needs.

Vicki came out of the bathroom and admired what little she could see of a naked Henry turning down the covers as the light from the bathroom reflected off his pale skin.

He heard her come into the room and said, "Please turn off the light and join me. After feeding I'll place a compulsion on you so that you'll spend most of the day sleeping. It's best if you eat very little and drink a lot of water each time you wake up . At sunset we'll head home and then when we get here you'll have your turn to feed from me."

"How many exchanges before I'm vampire?"

"As many as it takes. Three exchanges is a myth like most of what's been said about vampires. Some turn after the first taste of our blood while others never turn. My best guess is that you'll be somewhere between one and four more times." Henry pointed to the bed, "Are you ready?"

She straightened her shoulders, raised her chin and dove for the bed saying, "As ready as I'm ever going to be." She grabbed Henry's hand as she flew by so that the momentum carried him forward and he landed on top of her.


	7. Chapter 7

Henry had a split second to shift his body before his full weight landed on top of Vicki as she let out an, "oomph." The motel's darkened room didn't keep him from seeing her startled expression and he snuggled close, "I didn't think you could take all of me at once."

Not able to see him clearly in the dark, she traced the outline of his smile with her finger tips, "You have a high opinion of your assets."

Frowning into her fingers he said, "You know perfectly well I meant my weight."

Her lips formed an evil grin as she said, "Gotcha."

For the first time since the night started in Toronto, Henry let out a full happy laugh and moved to cover her with his body, kissed her forehead, and his 'assets' slid into her warm, damp core, "I regret there's not enough of the night left for us to play. Give your will over to me and I promise you'll have as much independence as you want when the turning is finished."

Vicki pulled her legs up, locked her ankles across Henry's knees and moved in rhythm to his thrusting hips. She kissed him once and tilted her head exposing her neck.

Henry fed from her until she slipped into unconsciousness and he left her with the compulsion to sleep all day.

He made sure she was tucked under the sheet and arranged comfortably, then took the coverlet and made himself a cocoon blocking out all possible light.

***

Vicki slowly became aware of herself, remembered what had happened over the last few days and tried to sit up only to find she was weak and dizzy. She reached over to the nightstand for her glasses and felt a plastic bottle. She realized how thirsty she was, half sat up and untwisted the cap to take a drink. _Ugh_! Warm orange juice but it's acidity made her swallow and she felt the soreness on the side of her neck. _Okay, _she thought, _it's real then_. All of it was real. She turned her head and saw the outline of Henry's body wrapped in the coverlet. She placed her hand on his shoulder and rested her cheek on top of it. She fell back to sleep still leaning against him.

When she woke the second time, Vicki eased herself to a sitting position and placed her feet flat on the floor. Her hand found a second bottle of juice on the nightstand and drank it before standing. She made her way slowly to the bathroom and closed the door before turning on the light and looked at herself in the mirror. She was gaunt, pale, with dark circles under her eyes and her hair was a mess.

Touching the mirror she said, "Crap! I thought vampires were beautiful."

"You _are_ beautiful but leaving the human behind is not easy on the body."

She jumped, turned at the sound of his voice and opened the closed bathroom door to find a fully dressed Henry standing on the other side.

He touched his lips to hers then said, "The sun's down. It's time to go home."

When finished in the bathroom, she put on the same clothes she wore on the plane and was ready and waiting for Henry while he did a final check of the room.

***

Henry's condo was in on the top floor of a tall building offering all the amenities of urban living. There was shopping, offices, restaurants, full services and apartments all within easy reach. Henry's condo was one floor down from the penthouse and had more floor space than his place in Toronto.

Vicki took a quick glance at the rooms without paying much attention, "Why would you need this much space?"

"I hate confined places. I need room for my interests, and I was hoping to share the space with someone special."

He led Vicki to a door he hadn't opened before, "I hope this will make you feel wanted."

Vicki stood in the doorway gaping. It looked like her office the first time she met Henry, including a light table. She glanced to the corner and saw a heavy object and picked it up. It was the paperweight that she had had since she was a kid. It had been misplaced for sometime. Actually now that she thought about it, the last time she saw it was when she threw it at Henry in a bit of temper for some dumb thing he had said.

Henry moved quickly, took it from her hand and set it back down on the corner of the desk. "You threw it at me and I put it in my pocket. I kept meaning to give it back but I kept forgetting and then I found it among my things when I unpacked here."

Vicki scanned the room carefully moving her head so that she could bring each thing into view. She even saw a rhythm punching bag hanging from the ceiling. "You didn't just do this room. You've had this ready for a long time."

"I made a mistake by leaving you behind. I've worked on this room for months hoping to find a way to get you to visit and maybe agree to stay."

"I'm here."

Henry picked her up and carried her to the smallest of three bedrooms. It was the hardest to find and the easiest to secure for the day. Henry put her down on the bed and sat down beside her. On the nightstand was very sharp dagger. He picked it up the dagger and handed it to her, "It's time for you to take my blood."

Vicki lowered her eyes and turned the dagger so that the light danced off it's sharp point. "Lay down Henry." She lay down beside him and said, "I've been thinking about this for days. I'd like if you'd hold me as tight as you can while I do this."

Henry pulled her close placing one arm under her shoulders with his fingers on her upper arm, he brought his other arm up to her lips, "Make the cut."

She licked her lips a few times and held the blade close to his wrist and hesitated. He put compulsion into his voice and ordered, "Do it, Vicki, and drink your fill."

The quick slice burned his flesh, then the kissing and sucking of her lips took him to a place of indescribable pleasure. He bled freely for several minutes before the healing nature of vampire closed the wound.

Vicki felt his vampire filling every part of her being, replacing her empty vessels with his blood. Freed from the place of holding, the vampire that had been growing within her since the first taste of his blood, rushed to every part of her body claiming and changing forever what she was and what she would become. Their blood mixed again and again as a bond was forged.

When the wound closed, Vicki turned to face him. "Please hold me tighter. I'm so cold." Henry pulled her closer as she turned waxy pale and convulsions over took her body. Rigid one second, shaking the next, she couldn't feel his arms. All sight, sound and hearing was lost to the pounding in her head. She cried out, "Make it stop, Henry." He held her tight and murmured words of comfort.

After what seemed like hours, she pushed at his chest and demanded, "Let me go! I'm burning up. There's a fire in my middle." Her face turned scarlet and she quit breathing. As he watched, the scarlet turned to purple, then black as she clutched her throat. Rigid once more, her eyes flew open, her lips parted and her last breath as human escaped.

All movement ceased and all Henry could do was wait. It was at this point in centuries past a body was washed, dressed in their best clothes and laid out so that final respects could be paid. A day later the ground would be opened and a box lowered. Later that same night the vampire sire would claim it's young. Times had changed along with rituals for the dead. It was no longer safe for the sire to leave the side of it's young, so Henry secured his home, and his room and prepared to sit wait for Vicki to come back to him.

***

Between the freezing cold and burning heat, Vicki tried to keep herself from feeling anything but Henry's arms and hearing his words of comfort. Soon all feeling and hearing stopped. She was alone on a path and had to decide which direction to turn. Right was death and the answers to the final mystery of life or left was toward an existence living off the blood of others. Vicki thought, "_God forgive me, but I need time with Henry_." She turned left and heard the sound of an annoying clamor.

***

As Vicki lay quietly on the bed, hunger forced Henry out of the condo to feed. He needed blood for himself if he was to feed a hungry young vampire. He wandered along the streets with no special goal in mind since this night's feeding was about nourishment not pleasure and he didn't want to be gone long or take too much blood from one source. He found what he was looking for near a nightspot favored by the twenty somethings. A smile, a nod and a few bills got him in. An hour spent on the dance floor got him several quick bites. Pleased with the ease of his dining experience, he headed home in an exceptionally good mood.

***

Vicki opened her eyes and looked around the unfamiliar room. The noise that woke her up started in again. She got up from the bed and staggered as her head started throbbing. She looked for the source of the noise until she found her purse resting on a table near the door. She grabbed the irritating noise maker, pushed send and heard her mother's voice, "Vicki are you all right?"

"Yeah, Mom. I said I'd call."

"That was two days ago. What's going on?"

"I'm getting settled in." She rubbed her forehead and said, "I've got a headache. Can't I call you back later?"

Marjory gave a loud sigh then said, "Of course. I'm used to you putting me off. Take care of the headache. Call me."

"Thanks, Mom. I promise I'll call you soon."

Vicki ended the call and was about to drop the phone back in bag when it started ringing again.

She heard Mike yell, "What's going on?"

She held the phone away from her sensitive ear and said, "Nothing's going on."

"I told you that I needed your help and bat boy's too."

Henry was standing outside his door when he heard Vicki's voice and stood to listen feeling his good mood shift.

"Bat boy's not here and I've got a headache. I told you we couldn't help right now."

Mike heard an edge to Vicki's voice that had never been there before and said, "What's wrong with you?"

Vicki's eyes silvered and her teeth elongated forming fangs and with a lowed voice she answered, "I _ said _I had a headache. What's not to understand?"

Mike's eyes grew large in his face, "Crap, Vicki! You've really done it."

Vicki pulled back on her anger and put the hand not holding the phone against her aching forehead, "I think so. My head's hurting too bad to know anything right now. Henry will call you when he gets back."

Hearing that, Henry opened the door and took the phone from her hand while helping Vicki to a chair, "Mike can't this wait another hour or two?"

Not wanting to hear Henry's voice, Mike said, "Yeah. Sure. Call me back." And broke the connection. Mike looked down at the pictures of over a hundred bodies all stacked like cord wood waiting to be burned. He jabbed them with his finger and mumbled, "You've been waiting decades, what's a few more hours going matter?"


	8. Chapter 8

Henry took the battery from the phone and dropped both pieces back into Vicki's purse. "Bat boy? I'd thought you'd come up with something more original, or at least tell Mike, the name's Henry."

Vicki put both hands over her ears and snarled, "Quit yelling. My head hurts."

Henry looked closely at Vicki's face and saw the markings of vampire across her brow and the glint of fangs from between her lips and said, "You're angry and hungry."

"Duh!" She turned on him with eyes silver, brow ridged and fangs exposed, "Where were you when I woke up?"

Henry grabbed her wrists before her clawed fingers could reach his face, "First, you should have slept until I got back. Second, I went out to feed. Third, I left you behind because a newly made vampire, on city streets, is a danger to everyone."

Vicki yanked her arms back, pushed her anger down enough to comprehend his words and respond. "The phone woke me up. Why would I hear it two rooms away?"

Henry smiled, "We vampires have extraordinary hearing. I thought you turned it off."

She shrugged and then with a tinge of jealousy asked, "So, did you have sex with dinner?"

Henry led her to the living room, pointed to the long low couch and as she sat, he stood over her saying, "I'm not going to answer that. Don't presume to question me about how or where I feed and I won't ever question you. I've made a commitment to loving only you that I plan to honor until you tell me otherwise."

As the rest of Vicki's vampire faded she replied, "I was out of line. I warned you, I'm not good at relationships." She reached up, placed the palm of her hand on his cheek and added, "I'm staying as long as you want me."

With a smile of satisfaction he said, "Good enough. That should keep us together for centuries."

Vicki patted the cushion beside her and said, "I'm still hungry."

Henry sat down, placed one arm around her shoulders as he bit down on the wrist of his other arm and held the wound to her lips.

She wanted to ask when she could do her own biting, but hunger overcame all other thoughts as her tongue darted out from between her fangs and tasted his offering. Her hand came up and pressed the wound tight to her greedy lips as she pushed her fangs down into a vein.

She listened to Henry's words as she fed, "Vampires are at a greater risk now than any previous time in history. We don't dare kill or feed indiscriminately. If we stay in one place too long someone comments on our not aging. Paper trails, not changing identity often enough, having possessions, wealth, or friends can lead to discovery of what we are. Could you even begin to imagine if a scientist got their hands on a vampire?

When I first met you, I started taking more risks than I have in decades. I exposed myself and as a result, all vampires. Bringing you into our world and letting you out without extensive training could lead to repercussions from a loose organization of vampires. Your life and mine would be forfeit. As it was, Christina did a great deal of harm by not properly training Alexander and allowing him to run loose. If she'd done her job, he wouldn't have had to die."

He pulled his wrist away from her lips and she tried grabbing for him protesting, "I want more."

He held his arm away from her, watched the wound close and rested his cheek against hers whispering in her ear, "I know, but in about a minute, you're going to feel the effects of my blood again."

She felt the cycles of chills, convulsions, burning fevers, and drowning sweats continue until close to sunrise, then she let out a deep breath and died to the world. Henry lifted her from the couch and took her back to their dark haven for the daylight hours.

***

This time he knew better than to leave her for even a few minutes before she was fully awake. He looked at her waxy skin and blue tinged lips, and knew all aspects of human life were gone forever. Henry had appreciated the way Vicki looked in life, but now she had an ethereal, timeless beauty that would never change as calendar years passed. She opened her gray-green eyes and stared into his sapphire blue one waiting for him to speak first.

Reaching out to finger one long golden curl, "Welcome fully to my world, vampire. In a different time and place you could live on your own now if you wanted. For our bond to grow so strong that nothing will ever pull us apart, it's better if I'm your only source of food for several months. I'll use that time to teach you everything I know about our kind including how to recognize which humans you can trust for help along the way. I'll introduce you to the vampire organization and claim you as a part of my territory so that other vampires will leave us alone."

Independent, stubborn Vicki, fueled the natural anger of a vampire as her eyes silvered, brow ridged, fangs dropped down and her fingers curled into claws. She turned her eyes away from Henry and saw her reflection in a mirror. The awful beauty looked back at her and told her to take what she wanted, but the intelligent Vicki, that loved Henry beyond all reason, took control away from the vampire. "So Henry, how long does it take to learn to keep a hot headed vampire under control?"

"It depends on the skill of the teacher."

***

Mike sat at his desk with his back to the speaker tuning out the endless drone of his captain. The department he was assigned to had been reorganized several times over the last few years. The latest change left him in a squad designed to keep a tight reign on detectives known to think too far outside the box, or had moments of pure brilliance alternating with blinding stupidity and those that had one too many splotches on their records.

Crowley was giving another one of her boring speeches about working as a team, keeping focused on current cases, staying away from unauthorized investigations and passed out new case loads.

"Detective Celluci, I suggest that you pay attention to me and put those pictures aside." Mike sighed and shoved the picture of a stack of dead bodies under his blotter as she continued to signal him out. "It's bad enough I get all the misfits on my squad without being stuck with you, but is it to much to ask that you at least pretend to be interested? Oh, let me guess, you're thinking about contacting Nelson for her take on that."

He had called Vicki as soon as he had heard about the bodies. He actually asked for her help along with Henry's. He now questioned the motivation behind his actions. Did he need their help or did he want to make another attempt at pulling her away from the vampire's power? It didn't matter at this point it was well past time for him to move on with his own life.

Mike looked her in the eye and snarled, "I'll work the cases you assigned and Nelson's not around to help even if I were to ask."

"That's a relief. It seems to me she helped you get nowhere in your career."

"And it seems to me you're the one in charge of this group, so tell me what does that say about you?"

The rest of the squad room looked at the floor, ceiling, or just about anywhere else but at Crowley or Celluci.

Crowley looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm still your boss and don't forget it. That picture is of two hundred year old bodies that are no more than minor historical interest to this squad. So, as of now, I better not see it on your desk." She handed him a thick case file and said, "Here's something that should make you happy. Six dead unidentified bodies found over the last year throughout the city."

"Murdered?"

"That's what you have to find out. No obvious cause of death on any of the bodies. It's all yours, you always like odd cases, or was that Nelson?"

Mike let the snide reference to Vicki slide and asked, "Who's my partner on this?"

"Anyone is this room. Your pick. Finding someone willing to work with you should keep you busy and out of my hair for an hour or two."

He took the file dropped it on the desk and mumbled under his breath, "Don't flatter yourself. No one wants to be in your hair." He looked around the room and then looked straight at the captain and said, "Captain, I'd like you to partner me on this."

Crowley stared at him as though he grew a second head, then with a smirk she said, "Sure I'll be your partner on the case, but I'm lead and you're going to see how a 'real' detective works."

***

The vampire grew impatient waiting for the human to move closer and took a step forward only to be held back by its parent. "Wait. Let the prey come to you. They remember less and it's easier to adjust their memories if you let them think it's their choice."

Vicki was practicing luring prey closer and Henry would be the one doing the biting and feeding. She found trying to control her vampire a little like holding a tiger by the tail. She couldn't let it go, but she couldn't get it to do what she wanted either. Vicki's hold on the man broke and he wandered away never knowing about his close encounter with a vampire.

"How long are you going to make me do this?"

"Until it takes only a light suggestion to lure your dinner close enough for you to get what you need without revealing what you are."

Henry glanced at another man walking across the parking lot and pointed him out to Vicki with his chin. She said _darn_ loud enough for the man to turn in her direction. Seeing him glance at her she waved at the ground and said, "I dropped my keys and they're too far under the car for me to reach."

He came over to where she was standing and started to bend down to take a better look and she whispered in his ear, "Rest a moment."

Henry nodded as he moved in to bite the man's neck. He took what was needed and signaled for Vicki to continue. She picked up the dropped keys, thanked the man for his help and apologized for the wire that scraped his neck as he was bending down to fish the keys out from under the car.

"Nicely done. You've earned your dinner." He put his hand to the small of her back and together they blended into the darkness at the edge of the parking lot.

Vicki stopped pulled out her cell and said, "I forgot, we promised to call Mike."

***

Mike glanced at the caller ID and picked up the phone. "It took you long enough."

"I'm sorry we lost track of time. How can we help you?"

Mike pulled the picture of the bodies from under his blotter and said, "There's no need. We humble humans were able to figure this one out all by ourselves."

Vicki felt the jab bruise her heart as she replied, "So tell us."

Mike went on to explain the property where Vicki had been held prisoner by Raymond / Astaroth had been used by another psycho years before. This one had dug up corpses or stolen them from funeral homes and brought them home as '_friends_'. Once they began to deteriorate, he would stack them in a crypt below his house and find a new one. His brother had helped him over the years with the idea if he let his brother '_play_' with friends already dead, he might not kill anyone. It worked until the sane brother died. With no one left to help him the psycho went for a walk in the woods and never came back.

Mike told them this was all learned from a diary found in a lead covered box near the far wall of the crypt in a deep hole.

Henry gave a slight shrug as Vicki mouthed '_do you mind if we offer to help Mike with his cases_?' Vicki took that as a '_yes_' and said, "Mike, Henry and I can give you a help with your cases from here any time you like."

Mike dropped the picture of the bodies in the trash can, took a picture of Vicki off his desk, placed it in the bottom drawer face down and closed the drawer with a firm hand.

"No thanks. Live your life, Vicki and I'm going to start living mine. Tell Henry... Well tell Henry, I'm glad not all my beliefs about the undead are true. Good bye and happy hunting."

Mike disconnected the phone and put it in his pocket, stood up and yelled, "Hey captain, do you want to go check out that lead you found?"

Captain Crowley looked up, closed the open file on her desk grabbed her jacket and said, "It's about time."


End file.
